Methods for requesting and responding to multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) counting

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for requesting and feeding back a multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) state, the method being used for allowing a network side to inform a related user equipment (UE) to feed back MBMS state information and allowing the informed UE to feed back the MBMS state information. The request method comprises: when necessary to acquire the receiving state of an MBMS, a base station transmits, through a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) scrambled by a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) belonging specially to an MBMS service, or through a system message, a multicast control channel (MCCH) change notification to the UE; and the base station transmits an MBMS state report request to the UE through the changed MCCH. The present invention also discloses a device for implementing the method.

Description

[0001]The present application is a US National Stage of International Application No. PCT / CN2011 / 080146, filed 26 Sep. 2011, designating the United States, and claiming priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201010503785.6, filed 30 Sep. 2010.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to the field of communications and particularly to a method of and apparatus for requesting and responding to a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) Counting.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]There is increasing popularization of MBMSs along with the development of software and hardware technologies of communications. In order to save frequency resources and the utilization ratio of spectrums, the technology of Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) has been proposed in the industry, where there is synchronous transmission over a plurality of cells at the same frequency at the same time. One of common channels in the MBSFN technology is a Multicast Control Chann...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0020]In the embodiments of the invention, a node B transmits an MCCH change notification to each user equipment over a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) scrambled by a Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) or in a system message, and since the PDCCH and the system message are a channel and a message which all the UEs can monitor in a cell, the MCCH change notification can reach all the UEs, thus facilitating reception of MBMS counting responses of all the UEs, particularly a UE which is not receiving an MBMS, making the information on the received counting responses more comprehensive and further facilitating accurate determination as to whether to initiate the MBMS.

Problems solved by technology

A large number of UEs which are not receiving the MBMS of the area, even in a connected state, cannot know Counting request of the service over the MCCH and thus cannot make any response.

Thus, particularly for the service of which transmission has not been initiated in the MBSFN area, the numerous UEs which have not received the MBMS of the area are very likely to be a group of potential recipients of the service to which the counting request refers, so if these UEs cannot receive the request and further make a response in a counting response procedure, then there may be an influence upon determination at the network side as to whether to initiate the service, and further the service which would otherwise be initiated may possibly not be initiated, thus the service is impeded from being deployed.

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